Series History: Bucs-Seahawks

The Buccaneers have won three in a row in their head-to-head matchup with Seattle, but the Seahawks still have the overall lead in this battle of 1976 expansion teams, 7-4

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks came into existence as sister expansion teams in 1976, the former as the NFL's 27th franchise and the latter as the 28th, but they do not have a particularly extensive record against each other. In fact, a recent run of meetings in five straight seasons from 2006-10 represents more than a third of their entire shared history.

The Seahawks lead the all-time series with the Buccaneers, 7-4, but Tampa Bay has closed the gap in recent years, winning three in a row from 2008-10. That countered a three-game winning streak for Seattle from 2004-07, but the Seahawks won the first four meetings, which were spread out over more than two decades, to open their initial lead.

-- The Bucs scored a series-high 38 points two years ago in a win over Seattle

One reason the Bucs and Seahawks met so infrequently for the first several decades of their existence is that, until 2002, they were in opposite conferences. In their joint inaugural season of 1976, the Buccaneers were temporarily placed in the AFC West and the Seahawks in the NFC West. The Bucs' 14-game schedule that year included one game against each of the 13 other AFC teams, plus a special all-expansion matchup with the Seahawks in Week Six. Though that contest at Tampa Stadium proved to be one of Tampa Bay's most competitive games of the season, Seattle prevailed, 13-10, when a potential game-tying field goal by Dave Green was blocked with 42 seconds left in regulation.

The two teams switched conferences in 1977 but did meet again, this time in Seattle. It was close once again, with the Seahawks sealing the 30-23 win this time with an interception off Bucs QB Gary Huff in the Seattle end zone with three minutes left. After that, 17 years would pass before the two teams would meet again to create some more late-game drama. The Buccaneers led that game in Seattle, 21-15, with 90 seconds to play and appeared to close the book on the victory when S Marty Carter caused and recovered a fumble by Bennie Blades on fourth-and-12. However, an illegal contact flag was thrown on CB Mike McGruder on the other side of the field, keeping the drive alive and leading to Mack Strong's game-winning seven-yard touchdown with 42 seconds to play in a 22-21 final.

Continuing the theme, the Seahawks won their fourth straight in the series in 1996 when they scored two touchdowns in the last three minutes of regulation to steal a 17-13 win at Tampa Stadium. The Buccaneers finally got in the win column three years later when they traveled to Seattle in the midst of what would be a six-game winning streak that propelled them to the NFC Central title. QB Trent Dilfer saw his last action as a Buccaneer in that contest as he sustained a shoulder injury, leading to the insertion of rookie Shaun King. The Bucs used five interceptions in that game to pull away for a 16-3 victory.

As mentioned, back-to-back three-game winning streaks by the Seahawks and then the Buccaneers followed to get the series to its current spot. The first of Tampa Bay's three wins was in prime time, a Sunday Night Football game in Week Seven of 2008 that was more lopsided than the 20-10 final suggests. Tampa Bay outgained Seattle in that contest, 402 yards to 176, with the Seahawks, led by QB Seneca Wallace getting just 44 yards before halftime. The Bucs' defense led the way again in 2009, as a 24-7 win in Seattle was built on four interceptions, including two by Elbert Mack. And, most recently, the Bucs posted the most lopsided win in the entire series in the penultimate weekend of 2010, pummeling the Seahawks, 38-15, behind a 439-174 yardage advantage. RB LeGarrette Blount ran for 169 yards and QB Josh Freeman threw a career-high five touchdown passes, including two each to TE Kellen Winslow and WR Mike Williams.